Adventures Into the UnknownComic Book Price Guide

Adventures Into the Unknown Comic Book Price Guideby Christopher Tanis and Ashley Cotter-Cairns

Adventures Into the Unknown was a horror title published by the American Comics Group. ACG may be most notable for the fact that it was never merged with or purchased by Marvel or DC.

It was the first title exclusively dedicated to the horror genre in the Golden Age.

Although its start in the later Golden Age (Fall, 1948) and its finish solidly within the Silver Age (August, 1967) means that this comic's nearly 20-year run falls somewhat in between worlds, and is therefore "off the radar" for many younger collectors.

Unlike many other horror titles, Adventures Into the Unknown survived the anti-horror-comics hysteria that forced their competitor EC Comics to drop horror altogether in favor of humor.

Somehow, this title weathered the storm that the Comics Code Authority hurled at the horror industry in the mid-50s, adjusting their content slightly to meet code, and continuing undaunted.

Not as much alteration was required as you might think, since Adventures Into the Unknown had always been more oriented towards gothic horror and ghost stories rather than the gory material of some of their competitors.

Comic Book Values

In general, like all Golden Age comics, the earlier the more valuable, and it is so with Adventures Into the Unknown.

For the most part, issues printed before the Comics Code debacle fetch more than later ones.

The border between the Golden and Silver Ages is an arbitrary one at best, but the start of the comics code in 1954 is as good a line of demarcation as any.

However you calculate such things, copies are a valuable find, and have often been overlooked by those who pick over thrift shops and garage sales, in favor of more colorful superhero comics.

Even those who may inherit these comics quite possibly have no idea that they are valuable. If you come across any issues of Adventures Into the Unknown, it is a good idea to have them valued.

Key Issue: Adventures Into the Unknown #1: The Horror Begins

This title is no exception, but it is important to remember that 'valuable' is a relative term. What would be considered 'valuable' in terms of an early Golden Age superhero comic does not apply here.

Non-superhero titles simply do not fetch as much as their costumed counterparts.

Combined with this issue's age in determining its value are the fact that it is #1 of the series, along with the cover art by Edvard Moritz, presenting a classic Golden Age haunted-house style illustration.

Also there's the inclusion of an early horror story by author Frank Belknap Long, later to become significantly more famous.

Adventures Into the Unknown #29

Adventures #29 features another iconic Ogden Whitney cover illustration, with a reanimated fossil dinosaur skeleton picking up a fainting man in its jaws, as two other museum visitors look on in dismay and horror.

Like the other Golden Age issues of this horror comic, #29 is worth considerably more if the cover is in good shape.

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